Drip-receptacle for refrigerators



C. W. FISH.

DRIP RECEPTACLE FORREFRIGERATORS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.29, 1919.

1,362,686, 6 Patented Dec. 21,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

- WITNESSES I INVENTOR 0766216 WF'h. 53m %i% A TTORNEXS C. W. FISH.

DRIP RECEPTACLE FOR REFRIGERATORS.

APPLiCATION FILED SEPT.29,1919.

1,362,686, Pafiented m. 21,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- WITNESSES flan/5mm? cmy zwwnm. I

A TTOH/VEYS CHARLES FIS H, 0F EUSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRIP-RECEPTAGLE E 01? REFRIGERATORS.

Specification of Letters Yatent. Patented D 21 1920 I Application filedSeptember 29, 1919. Serial No. 327,201.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Crmnnns W. Fisn, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Boston, in the county of Eiufiolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful improvements inDrip- Receptacles for Refrigerators, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to refrigerators, and particularly to receptaclesfor catching the drippings from the ice, such receptacles being commonlyknown as drip pans.

It is a purpose of my invention to ehm1- nate the use of the old drippan beneath the refrigerator and its attendant disadvantages, and theunsanitary method of connecting the waste pipe to the sewerage system,and to provide a drip receptacle which is completely incased within therefrigerator so that the cooling properties of the ce drippings areutilized to further cool the food chamber, and to arrange the receptacleconveniently Within the refrigerator to permit its ready removal foremptying without stooping as in the old drip pan.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide means for preventing anoverflow of the drip receptacle;

In carrying out my invention, 1 provide a receptacle which is detachablysupported on the front door of a refrigerator, and 1s arranged toreceive the drippings from the ice through a pipe. connected to the icechamber, whichis flexible to permit the opening and closing of the doorwithout disturbing the connection between the two.

The receptacle is provided interiorly thereof with a choking device forcontrolling the flow of the drippings through the pipe, such devicebeing operated by a float so that when the water reaches a predeterminedlevel in the receptacle, the pipe is compressed to discontinue the flowand to thereby cause the water to accumulate with in the ice chamber. Inthis manner an actual overflowing of the receptacle is prevented.

I also provide a float operated indicator which is so disposed that whenthe receptacle is filled, the indicator will abut the door jamb toprevent closing of the door, thereby giving a positive indication thatthe receptacle requires emptying.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view, showing in perspeclar parts in each of the severalviews.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1, Rdesignates gen erally a conventional form of refrigerator, including afront door D, a top door D, and an ice chamber C. As shown in Fig. 4,the ice chamber is of rectangular formation, and is tapered from theupper to the lower edge thereof, so as to provide an air space betweenthe walls of the chamber and the walls of the refrigerator.

A designates the drip receptacle, which comprises a tank ofsubstantially rectangular formation having the edges of the rear facethereof formed with flanges 15, which flanges in the appliedposition ofthe receptacle rest in guide rails 16, which are secured to the innerside of the door D. The rails 16 cooperate with the flanges 15 tosupport the receptacle A in vertical position upon, the door, while toprevent accidental displacement thereof, I provide a latch 17, which issecured to the door D and engages one of the flanges 15, as shown inFig. 1. By this arrangement, it will be seen that when the latch ismoved to releasing position, the receptacle may be readily removed fromthe door by pulling the same upwardly through the medium of a handle 18.This arrangement of the receptacle eliminates the attendant stoopingnecessary in emptying the old form of drip pan.

As shown in Figs; 1 and 2, the drippings from the ice chamber C aredirected into the receptacle A by means of a flexible pipe P,

the upper end of such pipe being connected.

to the lower side of the chamber C by a screw threaded pipe coupling K,while the lower end thereof is provided with an eye 19, which is adaptedto engage a book 20 secured to the inner side of the chamber C forsupporting the pipe when the receptacle is being emptied and so bendingthe same as to prevent the escape of the drippings. As shown in Fig. 2,the pipe P extends downwardly into the receptacle adjacent the innerside there- 'of and passes through a choking device for controlling thepassage of the water therethrough as has been described. As shown inFigs. 1 and 2, the choking device comprises a pair of bars 21 and 22,which are secured to the confronting faces of the rear wall of thereceptacle and are provided with horizontally disposed slots 23.Connecting the bars at one of their ends is a roller 24, while workingwithin the slots 23 is a movable roller 25, the pintles of which areconnected to a U- shaped yoke 26 in such manner that the parallelportions of the yoke slide within the bars 21 and 22. The yoke 26 isadapted to be moved horizontally through the mediumof an arm 27 fixed toa shaft 28 journaled in the side walls of the receptacle A. The arm 27comprises a short section 27, which is loosely connected to the yoke 26,and a long section 27, which is fixed to a float F. As shown in Figs. 1and 2, the pipe P is normally interposed between the rollers 24: and 25and when the receptacle is empty, the float F assumes the position shownin solid lines in Fig. 2. This position is acquired as a result of astop 29, which is secured to one of the side walls of the receptacle A.With the float F in lowered position, the yoke 26 is moved to one end ofthe bars 21 and 22 through the medium of the arm 27, as will beunderstood. In this position of the yoke, the roller 25 is at one end ofthe slots 23 and is consequently out of engagement with the pipe P. Asthe level of the water in the receptacle is increased the float F isgradually moved upwardly, swinging about the shaft 28 as a center. Whenthe float F reaches the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, theroller 25 is moved in the direction of the roller 24:, therebycompressing the pipe P between the two rollers, as is indicated in dashlines in Fig. 2. With the pipe compressed between the two rollers, itwill be obvious that the drippings from the ice chamber C cannot passinto the receptacle A, thereby causing the drippings to accumulate inthe ice chamber.

The indicating means for the receptacle A comprises a float F fixed to arod 30 which passes through the upper wall of the receptacle and has itsupper end formed with a plate 31. The disposition of the plate 31 issuch that when the float is elevated to the position shown in dash linesin Fig. 2, it engages the jamb of the door D to prevent closing of thesame. It is to be understood that when the door D is closed, the plate Fand the float F cannot be moved upwardly but as soon as the door isopened, the indicating device functions as just described.

It is to be particularly noted that as the drip receptacle is arrangedupon the inner side of the refrigerator door, the usualhorizontal'dimensions of the food chamber are necessarily reduced, butbecause of the elimination of the old form of drip pan beneath therefrigerator, the vertical dimensions of the food chamber may bematerially increased by lowering the bottom wall of such chamber. Itwill therefore be seen that the area of the food chamber is in no waysacrificed by employing a receptacle of this character.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of dripreceptacle, choking device, and indicating means, it is to be understoodthat various changes and modifications may be made herein withoutdeparting from'the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

Having thus described. my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a refrigerator including an ice chamber and a doormounted for movement in a horizontal plane, a drip receptacle carried bysaid door, a flexible pipe connecting said chamber and receptacle, and afloat operated choking device for compressing said pipeto preventpassage of the drippings from said chamber to the receptacle when thelatter has reached its capacity.

2. In combination, a refrigerator including an ice chamber and a doormounted for movement in a horizontal plane, a drip receptacle carried bysaid door, a flexible pipe connecting said chamber and receptacle, andmeans for preventing the passage of the drippings through said pipe whenthe receptacle reaches its capacity.

3. In combination, a refrigerator including an ice chamber and a doormounted for movement in a horizontal plane, a drip receptacle carried bysaid door, means for preventing the passage of the drippings throughsaid pipe when the receptacle reaches its capacity, and float operatedindicating means for preventing closing of the door when the receptacle1s filled.

4. In combination, a flexible pipe, and a choking device comprising astationary roller and a movable roller, and float operated means formoving said roller to compress said pipe between the two rollers.

5. In combination, a flexible pipe, and a choking device comprising apair of slotted bars, a stationary roller connecting said bars, amovableroller slidable within said slots, a yoke connected to saidroller, a shaft, a float,

OHARLES W. FISH.

